Shaughnessy mansions to be protected

JOHN MACKIE, Vancouver Sun09.30.2015

A house for sale in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

A house under renovation in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

A house in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

An excavated lot in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

A house for sale in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

A heritage house in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

A house for sale in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

A house under renovation in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

A heritage house in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

An excavated lot in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

A house in the newly created heritage conservation area known as the First Shaughnessy District, Vancouver September 29 2015. The area is between West 16th Avenue and King Edward Ave. and Arbutus and Oak Streets.Gerry Kahrmann
/ PNG

Shaughnessy already had two heritage plans in place from 1982 and 1994 that were supposed to protect the heritage housing stock. But Richard Keate of the Vancouver Heritage Commission said developers had found ways around them.

“It’s really strengthening the regulations that were always there,” said Keate, who lives in Shaughnessy.

“In 1994, it sort of went off the rails a bit. People felt that if they were insistent, they could demolish heritage houses.

“Now we’ve got that back again, and there’s a lot of incentives that I think will really encourage retention.”

The big argument against the heritage conservation area was that it would reduce property values, because many buyers want to build newer, bigger homes on Shaughnessy’s large lots.

Bob Angus was among the Shaughnessy residents that spoke out against the plan.

“There’s a sense that with all those rich guys in Shaughnessy it’s no big deal if they lose money,” said Angus, who has lived in Shaughnessy for three decades.

“And I can tell you the numbers these guys come up with are just out of a hat. Let’s see some specific ones. There’s a great lack of specifics.

“There’s no doubt in my mind (my house will be worth) significantly less. And contrary to what (Councillor) Geoff Meggs says, it’s not just a drop in the bucket, (that) it doesn’t affect me. If I want to sell my house and move downtown to a condo, I now no longer can afford the condo I could before.”

But Keate said that studies have shown that heritage conservation areas have had a positive affect on property values.

“They have to look at the HCA’s in other areas,” said Keate.

“They’re all over the world, in every community — New York, Ontario, Australia. The consensus seems to be there’s going to be a blip … in real estate for about six months to a year, and then it’s going to take off.

“It will always be consistent. And the first thing to always recover when there’s a downturn in the market has been the heritage properties.

“It’s a blue chip stock, not a flash in the pan.”

There are 52 heritage conservation areas in British Columbia. Victoria has 13, North Saanich has three, and Port Moody, Langley, Kelowna, Grand Forks, and Kitimat have two each.

The Shaughnessy plan would allow homeowners to build in-fill dwellings to offset any loss in property values, or even divide large homes into suites. But that didn’t appeal to Angus, who lives in a 3,300 sq. ft house that was built in 1912.

“Technically, because I have a lane, I can build what they call a coach house, which fundamentally is a laneway house,” said Angus.

“ I don’t think you’re going to find very many people (in Shaughnessy) who want a laneway house. Some people would like to buy them, I guess, but I don’t think you’re going to find many of us who want to share our backyard with a laneway house.”

Keate had a different view.

“I live in an infill myself, built in 1989,” he said.

“In the mid-90s, the whole market for multiple conversion developments — that is, dividing big houses up into suites — died, because they found they could tear down the houses.

“Now that the houses (won’t be torn down), I think there will be a big market for people who want to live in those houses. The thing we’ve learned is you’ve got to put in elevators for your target market, if you want to make those things work. If you do, they never turn over — they’re really sought after.”

Many blame the loss of heritage homes in Vancouver on an influx of money from immigrants or foreign investors who prefer new to old.

“Culturally, there doesn’t seem to be an understanding for the value of heritage, or of things that are old,” said Keate.

“We have seen the occasional heritage house torn down to the ground and then replicated, just like it was before. I can point to one on Osler and one on Pine Crescent where that happened. It’s the quest for having something new, as opposed to something old. They just don’t get the cultural implication.”

First Shaughnessy was developed as an elite residential area by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1907. It stretches from 16th Avenue to King Edward, and from Oak to East Boulevard. It was originally in South Vancouver, which was a separate municipality until it joined the city in 1929.

Other elite areas — Blueblood Alley in Coal Harbour, the West End, Victoria Drive in Grandview — lost their cachet as the city grew and expanded, but Shaughnessy retained its allure for successive generations of Vancouverites.

Councillor Heather Deal feels that with the heritage conservation area in place, it will ensure it stays special. But she doesn’t know if the Shaughnessy plan is a template for other heritage neighbourhoods in Vancouver.

“This neighbourhood is very unique, in that it has a history which is consistent, it was all built out and designed at the same time,” said Deal.

“There are other neighbourhoods with a great deal of heritage in them, and we will be looking at those to see if there is something we can do there.

“It wouldn’t necessarily look the same — there is no other neighbourhood like First Shaughnessy in the city of Vancouver.”

A quick look at real estate listings shows that houses in Shaughnessy still command a high price. An eight bedroom, 9,000 sq. ft mansion at 3589 Granville that was built in 1912 and restored in 2009 is for sale for $11,988,000.

The house has been sold several times in recent years, for prices that show the rise in Shaughnessy real estate. It sold for $800,000 in June of 1992, $1.280 million in August, 1992, $3.05 million in May, 2007 and $6 million in Sept., 2011.

Is there more to this story? We'd like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. CLICK HERE or go to vancouversun.com/moretothestory

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Share

Shaughnessy mansions to be protected

Video

Today's Headline Videos

Best of Postmedia

To steel himself for the year-long journey that began Wednesday, Jonathan Pitre has been going over the hard calculus that underpins his decision to pursue a high-risk, high-reward treatment in Minnesota

When he woke up in tears the morning after he had cried himself to sleep, Rohit Saxena knew what he had to do. Leaving his wife, Lesley, asleep in bed, Rohit went downstairs, opened his laptop and began to write. “They say your kids are your hearts outside your body,” he wrote. “I’ll always be […]

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.